This invention relates to a plastic body and more particularly to an improved plastic body made of polydicyclopentadiene and which is adapted to be exposed to a heat source.
A wide variety of bodies are made from a material consisting of a fiber reinforced plastic such as fiberglass. These bodies are employed for such uses as watercraft, motor vehicle bodies or bodies for units such as air conditioners or the like. Although fiber reinforced plastics are popular materials, they have the disadvantage of being quite heavy in weight and also are not as strong per unit weight as might be desired. A suitable substitute material, but for a quality hereinafter described, would be the plastic polydicyclopentadiene because of its strength and lightness. However, many of these bodies and applications as aforenoted place the body in close proximity to a high heat source such as an internal combustion engine, an electric motor, a compressor or the like. The disadvantage with polydicyclopentadiene is that it deteriorates because of oxidation particularly at high temperatures. Also, this material is attacked by gasoline.
If it is attempted to insulate the polydicyclopentadiene from the oxygen heat and other foreign materials that may attack it, then the body becomes heavy again. In addition, it may be difficult to provide adequate protection or it may be difficult to insure that the protection layer will adhere properly and provide the necessary protection.
It is, therefore, a principal object of this invention to provide an improved body made of polydicyclopentadiene which is protected from oxygen heat and foreign materials in such a way as to not add significantly to its weight.
It is a further object of this invention to provide an improved protective coating for a polydicyclopentadiene body.